By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy’s Front 9 golf tournament series got underway for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic this weekend at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s practice facility.

The event was the first of 10 in the series and juniors showed up in a big way on Sunday. The tourney is geared towards promoting camaraderie among the fellow golfers and helping to improve their skill sets in friendly competition.

Georgette Rolle-Harris, founder of the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy, talked about the return of the Front 9 golf tournament series.

“The Front 9 is the tournament arm of Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy now that the US kids’ season is all done with the 18 events this year. We are jumping into something that is geared towards players grabbing a friend and playing in a team scramble format.

“For our newer players, who have never played in an event before but are in one of our junior programmes, this is their first time playing in the tournament so to be able to play with one of their friends has been huge and it is really good to see the magic that has been created out there,” Rolle- Harris said.

On Sunday, Savannah Mackey and Lucas Stokes came out with a total gross of 39 for first place. In the second position was Jervarie Dawkins and his sister Jermany Dawkins with 42 in flight one. Flight two saw the duo of Samantha Mahelis and Liv Ward round up a total gross of 38 for first place. The duo was followed by Payton McKenzie and Tyhler Rolle who finished second with 40.

In flight three, Sarah Scheidecker and Zara Greaves emerged victorious with 32. The sibling tandem of Zaire and Zion Poitier ended in second with 34. Third place went to Jamiah Miller and Janai Miller with 35.

Liam Bethel and Luca Greaves notched 39 at Sunday’s event for first place honours.

Meanwhile, Antoine Roberts and Treilon Stuart collected second place with 44 for flight four.

Rolle-Harris said the tournament will be very beneficial for the young golfersm especially those joining forces with their usual competitors.

“We have some brother-sister duos, and teenage juniors that played with younger juniors who were their mentors at this point. We want this to be a huge learning ground. I think this benefits some of the players who have close skill levels and paired together because they have been learning how to hit different shots from each other,”

“Typically, they are in an environment where they compete against each other but now we are really seeing them further develop friendships,” she said.

Zachary Landry and Maximilien Demole took flight five with a total of 32. Briland Cunningham and Hugo Johnston were tied for second with William Mahelis and Juan Pedro Viana.

For flight six, Londyn Strachan and Maddison Carroll came first. Hailey Hall and Annaleigh Deveaux wrapped up in second and the duo of Zeden Poitier and Anissa Robinson earned third.

Rylee Cunnigham and Naomi Cole totalled 37 for a first place finish in flight seven. Benjamin Cole and Gideon Cole took the second podium spot with 42 and Adelyn and Eloise Amorello-Bradley were third.

Flight eight went to Daliah Hamilton-Knowles and Shane Gibson with 26 and Kaleah Brown and Payton Haye nabbed first for flight nine.

“We have 10 events from now through March for the kids to play in, some are scrambles, we have a couple of drive, chip and putt events. We are just trying to create a space for newer golfers to develop their games or just to have a little bit of fun during the off tournament season,” she said.